Cats Have Nine Lives, You Don’t

If you made it through an Eggshell Audit or Reverse Eggshell Auditin one piece, and did not have to disclose that you knew you had foreign accounts to report, that does not make you non-willful, it makes you lucky.

This is not the time to double-down. As my Grandfather always used to say…Stay Humble.

Now Can You Go Streamlined?

The answer is simple, no — you cannot go streamlined. And, if anyone tells you that you can, they are giving you bad advice.

In other words, don’t try to throw it back in the IRS’ face. Think about how you felt during the audit, wondering if the IRS Agent was going to delve further into your non-reporting of foreign accounts and income — and how that made you feel (Read: Terrified).

Avoiding a criminal investigation following an Eggshell Audit, does not negate the willfulness aspect of your non-disclosure. Thus, if you are going to disclose, Streamlined Offshore would not be a viable option for you.

*The nuances of applying for OVDP following an Eggshell or Reverse Eggshell Audit is a very complex situation and something you need to fully analyze with experienced Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Counsel.

Watch Out For Bad Advice

In the past few months we’ve had multiple clients contact us after speaking with Tax Lawyers/CPAs who gave them bad advice on Offshore Disclosure timing issues.

These clients all had the same question/concern: they know they were willful at the time they failed to report foreign income. Then, they were audited, but the audit had nothing to do with international tax. As a result, the clients never volunteered the information regarding the undisclosed income and it was never asked.

While a Taxpayer has a duty to disclose information to the IRS Agent to assist with the facilitating a successful audit, a Taxpayer also has a right against Self-Incrimination.

Right Against Self-Incrimination

It wasn’t that the Client intentionally misrepresented facts (or omissions) to the IRS. Rather, the IRS agent never asked, and the audits were based on other areas of business tax. In one case we recently took over, the issue involved complex depreciation schedules which resulted when the C Corporation transferred to an S corporation and there was BIG Tax (Built-in-Gain).

Thereafter, this law firm told the Clients they could now go Streamlined, since the Audit was complete.

The Client asked his attorney: “But I was still willful?”

The Attorney’s Response: “How is anyone going to find out?”

While this may be true…it is not necessarily the best advice to give.

Eggshell Audits

Eggshell audits are when the IRS is auditing you and you know you previously committed a crime but you try to dance around the issue during the audit, legally. In other words, the IRS agent never asks you directly, and you never have to make any intentional misrepresentations or omissions to the auditor.

You have a right against self-incrimination and since the civil audit is not a criminal investigation, you are not required to incriminate yourself. At the same time, if it anytime during the audit, or the preceding IDR, the IRS asks about unreported income (even if it is not mentioned regarding foreign or income from abroad), you are supposed to disclose any income, whether it is domestic or foreign, or rely on counsel’s suggestion – but you should never lie, or misrepresent facts to the IRS.

You Make it Past the Eggshell Audit

Now You Want to go Streamlined…

This is a horrible idea. That is because during the audit you knew you were supposed to have previously reported income. That is the main element of willfulness. It doesn’t matter that the auditor never asked you about it, the reality is you cannot sign a statement under penalty of perjury or show that you had reasonable cause if you acted willfully, or with reckless disregard.

Sure, you may not currently be on the record for having had a knowledge of the unreported income, but if you knew during the audit that you were supposed to have reported the foreign income, but never reported it — the fact that the auditor never asked is a luxury, and you should be relieved.

Offshore Disclosure and Foreign Reporting

If you are reading this article, then chances are you are aware that you have an important requirement involving your foreign accounts. Without getting into too much detail, there are a broad range of reporting requirements for individuals who have foreign accounts.

The minimum threshold requirements will vary based on whether the person is reporting accounts, interests in business, and/or other types of disclosures.

Common Offshore Reporting Requirements

FBAR – More than $10,000 in annual aggregate total on any day of the year.

FATCA – Specified Foreign Financial Assets with different thresholds depending on whether a person resides in the U.S. or not, and the tax filing status.

PFIC – Reporting starts when there is annual aggregate total of PFIC investments that are more than $25,000 or $50,000 MFJ – unless there was an excess distribution in which there is no minimum.

Form 5471 – Typically, more than 10% ownership and/or control and various other threshold requirements.

Form 3520 – Receiving a Foreign Gift from a person or business, and/or Foreign Trust Distribution.

Offshore Voluntary Disclosure – What are Your Options?

If you are not currently under Audit or Examination, your best option may be to enter one of the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Programs to get into compliance.

Golding & Golding, A PLC

We have successfully represented clients in more than 1000 streamlined and voluntary disclosure submissions nationwide, and in over 70-different countries.

We are the “go-to” firm for other Attorneys, CPAs, Enrolled Agents, Accountants, and Financial Professionals across the globe.

Post navigation

Post navigation

Golding & Golding, A PLC (2020): LawDog Enterprises - All Rights Reserved - No Legal Advice Intended: This website includes information about legal issues and legal developments. Such materials are for informational
purposes only and may not reflect the most current legal developments. These informational materials are not intended, and should not be taken, as legal advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances. You should contact an
attorney to discuss your specific facts and circumstances and to obtain advice on specific legal problems. No Article, Blog Post or Page may be reproduced or used without express written consent of Golding & Golding.